System and method for controlling the diffusion of air in a plurality of enclosures and installation employing such system

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for enabling the total operation of an installation for the diffusion of air in a plurality of enclosures to be reduced. The present system includes apparatus for measuring a signal related to the state of operation of a thermal treatment apparatus for the air associated with each enclosure and/or related to the temperature desired independently in each enclosure, a module for calculation, on the basis of the measured signals, a setpoint blowing temperature that makes it possible to reduce the total operation of the whole of the thermal treatment means. A setpoint blowing throughput is also determined in order to optimize the total operation of the air diffusion installation.

The present invention relates to a system for controlling the diffusionof air into a plurality of enclosures.

The field of the invention is the field of the diffusion of air into aplurality of enclosures and more particularly the field of the controland management of the diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures.

Currently, the diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures iscarried out by means of an installation comprising a single airtreatment station and a plurality of diffusion systems arranged at thelevel of the enclosures into which the diffusion is carried out. Eachenclosure contains at least one air diffusion system. The installationcontains moreover an air circuit connecting the air diffusion station tothe air diffusion systems.

Each of the air diffusion systems arranged at the level of theenclosures is equipped, in most cases, with thermal treatment means andmeans for regulating the flow rate of the air diffused into theenclosure. The operation of these means is controlled by means forselecting the conditions for the diffusion of air into the enclosuresuch as for example a thermostat allowing the user to choose a settemperature.

Such an installation operates as follows. The central air treatmentstation generates the air to be diffused into the enclosures at a giventemperature for the enclosures as a whole. The air generated is blown bythe station at a given pressure and is conveyed by the air circuit tothe air diffusion system associated with each of the enclosures. At thelevel of each enclosure, the air blown by the station is thermallytreated by the thermal treatment means and the diffusion flow rate isadjusted by the flow-rate regulation means so as to reach the settemperature chosen independently for each enclosure.

However, in most of the current installations, the properties of the airblown by the central air treatment station and the blowing conditionsare chosen during installation and are fixed. In certain installations,the blowing temperature can be altered with respect to the outsidetemperature.

These conditions involve significant use of the thermal treatment meansof each of the air diffusion systems arranged at the level of theenclosures. Moreover, these thermal treatment means are veryenergy-intensive. In fact, these means are located on the diffusioncircuit and must alter the temperature of the air over a very shorttimescale as the air originating from the station must be treated inreal time without stopping.

All these features lead to a very high overall energy consumption forthe enclosures as a whole and make the current air diffusioninstallations very expensive to run. These drawbacks are exacerbated bythe fact that the air diffusion installations operate throughout the dayduring most of the year.

Moreover, heavy use of the thermal treatment means results in highmaintenance costs.

A purpose of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks.

A further purpose of the invention is to propose a system forcontrolling air diffusion that allows the diffusion of air into aplurality of enclosures to be optimized.

It is also a purpose of the invention to propose a system forcontrolling the diffusion of air that makes it possible to reduce theenergy consumption of an installation for the diffusion of air into aplurality of enclosures.

A further purpose of the invention is to propose a system forcontrolling the diffusion of air that makes it possible to reduce themaintenance costs of an installation for the diffusion of air into aplurality of enclosures.

Finally, a purpose of the invention is to propose an installation forthe diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures that consumes lessenergy than the current installations.

The invention makes it possible to achieve the above-mentioned purposesby a system for controlling the diffusion of air into a plurality ofenclosures, said air diffusion being carried out by an installationcomprising:

-   -   an air diffusion system for each of said enclosures, said system        being associated with means of thermal treatment of the air, and        means of diffusion of air into said enclosure;    -   a central air treatment station, common to the air diffusion        systems, connected to said systems by an air circuit and        supplying at least partially the air diffused into said        enclosures at a temperature, called the blowing temperature;    -   means for selecting a temperature for each of said enclosures        independently of the other enclosures;        said system comprising:    -   means for providing a signal relating to an operating state of        the thermal treatment means of each of the air diffusion systems        associated with each of said enclosures and/or a signal relating        to the selected temperature in each of said enclosures;    -   a module for calculating, as a function of said signals, a set        blowing temperature making it possible to reduce the operation        of the thermal treatment means as a whole or the overall        operation of the thermal treatment means as a whole; and    -   control means of said station in order to obtain said set        blowing temperature.

By means of the invention, the blowing temperature via the central airtreatment station is determined as a function of:

-   -   the operating state of the air thermal treatment means        associated with each of the air diffusion systems and/or,    -   the temperature required by the users independently in each        enclosure.

The air diffusion management system thus makes it possible to optimizethe diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures. The optimization ofthe air diffusion advantageously makes it possible to reduce the energyconsumption of the air diffusion installation by reducing the overalloperation and therefore the energy consumed by the thermal treatmentmeans as a whole associated with the air diffusion systems.

Moreover, by reducing the overall operation of the means for thermaltreatment of the blown air, the overall maintenance costs of thesemeans, and therefore of the air diffusion installation, are alsoreduced.

Moreover, the invention makes the air diffusion installation moreefficient.

Advantageously, when the thermal treatment means comprise a terminalunit, the signal relating to an operating state of the thermal treatmentmeans can comprise a signal relating to the percentage use of theterminal unit. Thus, by optimizing the blowing temperature at the levelof the station, the invention makes it possible to reduce the overallpercentage use of the terminal units associated with the diffusionsystems.

In a particular embodiment, several air diffusion systems can comprisemeans of heating and/or cooling the air. In this case, the calculationmodule can comprise instructions for determining the diffusion systemthe thermal treatment means of which show the lowest operating state andthe set temperature having been determined as a function of thetemperature of the enclosure with which said diffusion system isassociated.

For example, in the winter season, when the air diffusion systemcomprises heating means, the diffusion control system according to theinvention makes it possible to determine the enclosure for which thelowest temperature T_(min) is required or for which the heating meansshow the lowest operating state E_(min). As a function of this data, aninstruction is sent to the central air treatment station instructing itto blow the air at temperature T_(min). Thus, the blown air is directlydiffused into the enclosure in question with a minimum thermaltreatment, and the overall operation of the heating means is reduced.

In the summer season, when the air diffusion system comprises coolingmeans, the diffusion control system according to the invention makes itpossible to determine the enclosure for which the highest temperatureT_(max) is required or for which the cooling means show the lowestoperating state E_(min).

In a further embodiment, when the means of thermal treatment of air ofeach diffusion system comprise means of heating and/or cooling the air,the calculation module can comprise instructions for determining the setblowing temperature in order to minimize the overall operation of thethermal treatment means as a whole, as a function of:

-   -   the effective operating state of the thermal treatment means of        each of the air diffusion systems and/or the set temperatures        required by the user in each of the enclosures independently,        and    -   a consumption figure, per unit of temperature, of the thermal        treatment means associated with each of the air diffusion        systems.

The consumption per unit of temperature of the thermal treatment meanscan depend on the volume of the enclosure with which these means areassociated.

Advantageously, when each air diffusion system comprises means forregulating the flow rate of air diffused into the enclosure, the systemaccording to the invention can moreover comprise:

-   -   means for providing a signal relating to the operating state of        the flow rate regulating means and/or to an air diffusion flow        rate for each of the enclosures;    -   a calculation module determining a set flow rate of blowing as a        function of said signals; and    -   control means:        -   of the central air treatment station in order to obtain said            set flow rate of blowing, and        -   of the flow rate regulating means of each of the enclosures            in order to maintain a required flow rate independently for            each of the enclosures.

Thus, the system according to the invention makes it possible toregulate the flow rate of the air blown by the central air treatmentstation as a function of the flow rates diffused independently into eachenclosure. Thus, the system according to the invention makes it possiblefor example to reduce the flow rate of blowing at the level of the airdiffusion station while ensuring adequate use of the flow-rateregulation means in each enclosure.

Advantageously, the regulation means of each diffusion system cancomprise an air flow controller, optionally arranged in the air circuit,with the signal relating to the operating state of said regulation meanscomprising a signal relating to the percentage opening of said air flowcontrol. In this case, the flow rate of blowing is adjusted as afunction of the percentage opening of each air flow controller. Thesystem makes it possible to maintain the diffused air flow into eachenclosure, for example, by increasing the percentage opening of the airflow controller and at the same time reducing the air flow rate orpressure of the air blown by the central air treatment station.

According to another aspect of the invention an air diffusioninstallation is presented comprising at least one air diffusion controlsystem according to the invention.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method is presentedfor controlling the diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures,said air diffusion being carried out by an installation comprising:

-   -   an air diffusion system for each of said enclosures, said system        including means of thermal treatment of air, and means of        diffusion of air into said enclosure;    -   a central air treatment station, common to the air diffusion        systems, connected to said systems by an air circuit and        supplying at least partially the air diffused into said        enclosures at a temperature called the blowing temperature;    -   means for selecting a temperature for each of said enclosures        independently of the other enclosures;

The method according to the invention is characterized in that itcomprises at least one iteration of the following steps:

-   -   measuring a signal relating to the thermal treatment carried out        at the level of each of the air diffusion systems associated        with each of said enclosures and/or a signal relating to the        selected temperature in each of said enclosures;    -   calculating a set blowing temperature making it possible to        reduce the operation of the thermal treatment means as a whole,        as a function of said signals; and    -   controlling said station in order to attain said set blowing        temperature.

The iteration of the steps of the method can be carried out at apre-programmed predetermined frequency or at the request of asupervisor, for example once per day or twice per day: once for thenight and once for the day.

Determining the set temperature can be carried out as described abovefor the system according to the invention, i.e. either by finding thethermal treatment means having the lowest percentage operation, or as afunction of:

-   -   the effective operating state of the thermal treatment means of        each of the air diffusion systems and/or the set temperatures        required by the user in each of the enclosures independently,        and    -   a consumption figure, per unit of temperature, of the thermal        treatment means associated with each of the air diffusion        systems.

Advantageously, when each air diffusion system comprises means forregulating the flow rate of air diffused into the enclosure with whichsaid system is associated, the method according to the invention canmoreover comprise the following steps:

-   -   measuring a signal relating to the operating state of the flow        rate regulating means and/or to an air diffusion flow rate for        each of the enclosures;    -   calculating a set flow rate of blowing as a function of said        signals; and,    -   controlling:        -   the central air treatment station in order to obtain said            set flow rate of blowing, and        -   the means for regulating the flow rate of each of the            enclosures in order to maintain a required flow rate            independently for each of the enclosures.

The set flow rate can be determined as described above.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will becomeapparent on examination of the detailed description of an embodimentwhich is in no way limitative, and the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of an airdiffusion system implemented in an installation according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of an installationaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of another example of aninstallation according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of an airdiffusion system 10 in an installation according to the invention.

The air diffusion system 10 is presented in the form of a casingcomprising a first opening 11 for connection to a circuit conveying airfrom a central air treatment (CAT) station to the air diffusion system10. The air diffusion system comprises moreover at least one opening 12for air diffusion into an enclosure. The air diffused into the enclosurethrough the opening 12 is thermally treated prior to the diffusion bythermal treatment means 13 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 andassociated with said air diffusion system. The thermal treatment means13, although shown outside the diffusion system 10 in FIG. 1, can alsobe also be arranged inside the diffusion system. The thermal treatmentmeans can for example comprise a terminal unit allowing the air to bediffused into the enclosure to be heated and/or cooled. The operatingstate of the thermal treatment means 13 is a function of the temperaturerequired in the enclosure and the temperature of the air conveyed by theair treatment circuit of the installation to which the system 10 isconnected.

The system 10 comprises moreover means 14 for regulating the flow rateof the air diffused into the enclosure arranged at the level of theopening 11 connecting to the treatment circuit or in the air treatmentcircuit as shown in FIG. 1. These means can for example comprise an airflow controller, the percentage opening of which is adjusted as afunction of the required flow rate for the diffusion of air into theenclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an example 20 of aninstallation 20 according to the invention implementing three airdiffusion systems 10 shown in FIG. 1. This installation can beimplemented for a much greater number of air diffusion systems 10.

The installation 20 shown in FIG. 2 carries out air diffusion into threeenclosures 21: 21 a-21 c. The air is diffused into each of theenclosures 21 by an air diffusion system 10 associated with eachenclosure. The diffused air is produced by a central air treatment (CAT)station 22 and is conveyed to each air diffusion system 10 by an airconveying circuit 23.

Each enclosure 21 comprises a thermostat 24 allowing the temperature ineach room and optionally the flow rate of air diffusion into theenclosure 21 to be adjusted.

Moreover, the installation according to the invention shown in FIG. 1comprises for each enclosure a first module 25 connected to thethermostat and/or to the thermal treatment means 13 of each airdiffusion system 10. This module 25 has three main functions:

-   -   regulating the flow rates of blown air    -   regulating the terminal units 13,    -   providing a signal relating to:        -   the required temperature in each enclosure 21 independently,            and/or        -   the operating state of the thermal treatment means 13 of            each air diffusion system 10, and/or,        -   a required flow rate in the enclosure.

The installation 20 comprises moreover for each of the enclosures 21a-21 c an actuator module 26 allowing the position of the air flowcontroller 14 of each air diffusion system 10 to be adjusted, andproviding the module 25 with a signal relating to the percentage openingof each air flow controller 14 for each of the air diffusion systems 10.

The module 25 provides the described signals to a calculation module 27forming part of the installation according to the invention.

This calculation module 27 determines as a function of the signalsreceived from each of the modules 25 associated with each enclosure 21a-21 d, a set blowing temperature which reduces the overall operation ofthe thermal treatment means 13 of the set of air diffusion systems 10for the three enclosures 21 and an optimized blowing rate as a functionof the percentage opening of the air flow controllers 14.

A set temperature and flow rate of blowing are communicated to a module28 for controlling the CAT station 22. This control module 28 modifiesat the level of the CAT station the temperature and flow rate of theblown air, in order to achieve the set values.

The determination of the set temperature by the module 27 can be carriedout according to one or more predetermined relationships.

In a first embodiment, where the thermal treatment means carry outheating or cooling of the air to be diffused into the enclosures 21, themodule 27 determines the thermal treatment means 13 which show thelowest operating state or the enclosure for which the requiredtemperature is:

-   -   the lowest when the thermal treatment means 13 operate in        heating mode, or    -   the highest when the thermal treatment means 13 operate in        cooling mode.

For example, the thermal treatment means 13 associated with theenclosure 21 c having the lowest operating state: 20% use of theelectric unit for a required temperature of 19° C. In this case, themodule 27 calculates the set blowing temperature as a function of thisoperating state and/or of the required temperature. This set temperaturecan for example be equal to the required temperature in the enclosure,i.e. 19° C. This set temperature is then communicated to a controlmodule 28 of the CAT station 22, which controls the CAT station 22 suchthat the air blown by the latter is blown at a temperature of 19° C. Inthis case, the thermal treatment means 13 associated with the enclosure21 c ceases to operate, as the air to be diffused arrives at thediffusion system 10 at the required temperature. Moreover, the operationof the thermal treatment means 13 associated with the other enclosures21 a and 21 b is reduced, since the temperature difference between theair blown by the CAT station 22 and the required temperature in each ofthe enclosures 21 a and 21 b has reduced.

In a second embodiment, where the thermal treatment means 13 carry outheating of the air for a part of the enclosures 21 and a cooling of theair for the other part of the enclosures 21, the module 27 determines aset blowing temperature minimizing the overall operation of the thermaltreatment means 13 for the enclosures 21 as a whole, as a function of:

-   -   the effective operating state of the thermal treatment means of        each of the air diffusion systems 10 and/or the set temperatures        required by the user in each of the enclosures 21, and    -   a consumption figure, per unit of temperature, of the thermal        treatment means 13 associated with each of the air diffusion        systems 10, this consumption per unit of time depending on the        volume of each enclosure.

The blowing temperature is therefore determined as a function of theconsumption of each means of thermal treatment, this consumption beingweighted in order to reduce the overall consumption of the installation.

The module 27 moreover determines the flow rate of blowing optimized asa function of the air diffusion flow rates into each of the enclosuresand/or the percentage opening of the means for regulating the airdiffusion flow rate into the enclosures, which comprise in the presentexample air flow controllers 14. The determination of the set flow ratecan be carried out according to one or more predetermined ratios.

In a particular embodiment, the set flow rate of blowing is determinedso as to maximize the percentage opening of the air flow controllers 14.To this end, the calculation module 27 determines which air flowcontroller 14 has the largest percentage opening as a function of thesignals received from each of the modules 25. Then, the calculationmodule 27 determines if this percentage can be increased. If this is thecase, the calculation module 27 determines the maximum percentageopening which can be obtained for this air flow controller. As afunction of the maximum percentage opening for the air flow controllerin question, the calculation module 27 determines the set flow rate ofblowing at the level of the CAT station 22 and the percentage opening ofthe other air flow controllers so as to obtain the required flow rateindependently in each enclosure.

The module 28 for controlling the CAT station 22 is informed of the setflow rate value and the flow rate of blowing is modified in order toattain the set value. In parallel, the percentage opening of each airflow controller 14 is modified, i.e. increased in the present example,in order to attain the values calculated by the calculation module 27.The modification of the percentage opening of each air flow controller14 can be carried out using each actuator 26 arranged in order to adjustits percentage opening.

Thus, by increasing the percentage opening of the air flow controllers14, and therefore of the flow rate regulator means, the invention makesit possible to reduce the flow rate of blowing at the level of the CATstation 22. This reduces the energy consumed by the CAT station 22.

The installation can moreover comprise means for supervising andoptionally validating these operations as a whole by a user or operator.

The installation comprises moreover a circuit 29, the role of which isto extract air from each of the enclosures 21 a-21 c. In the exampleshown in FIG. 2, the extracted air is discharges into the atmosphere.

The communications between the different modules can be carried out viawireless connection means when permitted by regulations or wiredconnection means by the use of dedicated buses.

The communications between the different modules can also be carried outby using an existing network such as for example an existing telephonenetwork or an existing data network implementing a TCP/IP protocol.Thus, installation of the system according to the invention can besimplified and the installation costs reduced.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of another installation 30according to the invention. The installation 30 makes it possible todiffuse air into three enclosures 21 a-21 c and has the same modules asthe installation 20 shown in FIG. 2 and implements the same functions.

However, the main difference between the installation 30 and theinstallation 20 resides in the fact that in the installation 30 the airextraction circuit 29 carries out:

-   -   recovering air from each enclosure 21, and    -   conveying the recovered air to the CAT station 22.

The air conveyed by the recovery circuit 29 to the CAT station 22undergoes a temperature exchange with the air blown by the CAT stationin the air treatment circuit 23 which will be diffused into theenclosures 21 a-21 c. Thus, the installation according to the inventionmakes it possible to derive a benefit from the calories or frigoriesstored in the air recovered from the enclosures 21, by transferring itto the air which will be diffused into the enclosures 21. This exchangemakes it possible to significantly reduce the energy consumption of theinstallation 30 as a whole.

The transfer of calories/frigories from the air recovered from theenclosures by the recovery circuit 29 to the air diffused into theenclosures is performed without direct contact, for example via heatexchangers (not shown). These heat exchangers can be situated in the CATstation 22 or downstream of the CAT station 22. Once thecalories/frigories have been recovered, the air recovered in theenclosures 21 is discharged to the outside.

Moreover, the heat exchangers are controlled by the calculation module27 which thus determines the quantity of calories/frigories transferredfrom the air recovered from the enclosures 21 to the air which will bediffused into the enclosures, which makes it possible to control thetemperature of the air which is blown into the air treatment circuit 23.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples detailed aboveand a person skilled in the art can carry out modifications withoutexceeding the scope of the invention. For example, a single module 25can be used for the enclosures 21 as a whole. Moreover, this module 25can be integrated with the calculation module 27.

Finally, a single module, optionally integrated with the calculationmodule can be used in order to perform the following set of operations:measuring the signals relating to the flow rate and/or the flow rateregulator means for the enclosures 21 as a whole, measuring the signalsrelating to the temperature and/or the thermal treatment means for theenclosures 21 as a whole, control of the different means as well as thecentral air treatment station 22.

1. A system for controlling the diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures, said air diffusion being carried out by an installation comprising: an air diffusion system for each of said enclosures, said system being associated with means of thermal treatment of the air, and means of diffusion of the air into said enclosure; a central air treatment station, common to the air diffusion systems, connected to said systems by an air circuit and supplying at least partially the air diffused into said enclosures at a temperature called the blowing temperature; means for selecting a temperature for each of said enclosures independently of the other enclosures; said system comprising: means for providing a signal relating to an operating state of the thermal treatment means of each of the air diffusion systems associated with each of said enclosures and/or a signal relating to the selected temperature in each of said enclosures; a calculation module determining, as a function of said signals, a set blowing temperature making it possible to reduce the operation of the thermal treatment means as a whole; and control means of said station in order to obtain said set blowing temperature.
 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal treatment means comprise a terminal unit, the signal relating to an operating state of the thermal treatment means comprising a signal relating to the percentage use of said terminal unit.
 3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the air thermal treatment means of each diffusion system comprise means for heating and/or cooling the air, the calculation module comprising instructions for determining the diffusion system the thermal treatment means of which have the lowest operating state, the set temperature being determined as a function of the temperature of the enclosure with which said diffusion system is associated.
 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of thermal treatment of the air of each diffusion system comprise means for heating and/or cooling of the air, the calculation module comprising instructions for determining the set temperature of blowing so as to minimize the operation of the thermal treatment means as a whole, as a function of: the effective operating state of the thermal treatment means of each of the air diffusion systems and/or the set temperatures required by the user in each of the enclosures independently, and/or a consumption figure, per unit of temperature, of the thermal treatment means associated with each of the air diffusion systems.
 5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each air diffusion system comprises means for regulating the flow rate of the air diffused into the enclosure with which said system is associated, the system according to the invention comprising moreover: means for providing a signal relating to the operating state of the flow rate regulating means and/or to an air diffusion flow rate for each of the enclosures; a calculation module determining a set flow rate of blowing as a function of said signals; and control means: of the central air treatment station in order to obtain said set flow rate of blowing, and of the flow rate regulating means of each of the enclosures in order to maintain an air diffusion flow rate independently for each of the enclosures.
 6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the regulation means of each air diffusion system comprise an air flow controller (14), the signal relating to the operational state of said flow rate regulation means comprising a signal relating to the percentage opening of said air flow controller.
 7. An air diffusion installation comprising at least one air diffusion control system according to claim
 1. 8. A method for controlling the diffusion of air into a plurality of enclosures, said air diffusion being carried out by an installation comprising: an air diffusion system for each of said enclosures, said system including means of thermal treatment of the air, and means of diffusion of the air into said enclosure; a central air treatment station, common to the air diffusion systems, connected to said systems by an air circuit and supplying at least partially the air diffused into said enclosures at a temperature called the blowing temperature; means for selecting a temperature for each of said enclosures independently of the other enclosures; said method comprising the following steps: measuring a signal relating to the thermal treatment carried out at the level of each of the air diffusion systems associated with each of said enclosures and/or a signal relating to the selected temperature in each of said enclosures; calculating a set blowing temperature making it possible to reduce the operation of the thermal treatment means as a whole, as a function of said signals; and controlling said station in order to achieve said set blowing temperature.
 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that each air diffusion system comprises flow rate regulating means of the air diffused into the enclosure with which said system is associated, the method comprising moreover the following steps: measuring a signal relating to the operating state of the flow regulation means and/or to an air diffusion flow rate for each of the enclosures; calculating a set flow rate of blowing as a function of said signals; and, controlling: the central air treatment station in order to obtain said set flow rate of blowing, and the flow rate regulating means of each of the enclosures in order to maintain a required flow rate independently for each of the enclosures. 